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Monday, January 30, 2012

Tombstone Tuesday - Gone, But Never Forgotten

I've posted before about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and their goal to put a photo with every name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall. Of course, not literally on the wall, but for now they have a virtual wall and if you know someone on that wall, please head over to the Virtual Wall and see if there is a picture for that person. You can also search by city and see who is missing a picture. It would be a wonderful contribution to find pictures of those brave service members in yearbooks or newspapers and upload them to the site.

This post tonight is in memory of a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice during Vietnam. I came across his photo in my family scrapbook. I don't know if he's related to my family in any way or if the newspaper article was clipped because he was a friend of the family. The Smeesters attended the same church as my family, SS. Peter and Paul in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Maybe I'll find out if there is a connection someday, maybe it will remain a mystery, either way I take tonight's post to dedicate to Daniel's memory. I recently spoke to a high school friend of Daniel's. He found out about Daniel's death while he was still in training with the Army. Daniel was his "angel on his shoulder" as he served in Vietnam and remains his angel to this day. He was kind enough to send me pictures of Daniel's grave, military marker and the military monument. Thank you David for being such a true, dear friend to Daniel and his memory. I know you miss him terribly.

Green Bay Press-Gazette

"Cpl. Daniel Smeester

Corporal Daniel Smeester, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Smeester Jr., 1019 Harvey St., was killed in action in Vietnam on Saturday, July 1. He attended SS. Peter and Paul grade school and graduated from East High School in 1965. He was employed by the American Can Corporation prior to entering service in May 1966.

Survivors include his parents, his mother is the former Eleanor Turensky; two brothers, James and Thomas; paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Smeester Sr.; maternal grandmother, Mrs. Louis Turensky; all of Green Bay.